Cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning surfaces, in particular inclined surfaces, in particular solar installation surfaces or photovoltaic installation surfaces on roofs of buildings, having a carrier and at least one driven endless cleaning belt held at the carrier.

The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning surfaces, in particular inclined surfaces, in particular of solar installation surfaces or of photovoltaic installation surfaces of buildings.

Such surfaces are typically cleaned either by hand brushes or by simple rotating brushes, wherein the rotary drive takes place electrically in part to relieve the user. Such a manual cleaning is, however, in every case time-consuming and laborious. The manual cleaning above all proves to be at least difficult, if not actually practically impossible to carry out, when the surfaces to be cleaned are surfaces on inclined building roofs, which is the case as a rule with solar installation surfaces or photovoltaic installation surfaces. The manual cleaning also comes up against its limits when very large surfaces have to be cleaned.

It is the object of the invention to provide a possibility for cleaning surfaces, in particular inclined surfaces, which is simple for the user and simultaneously economical.

This object is satisfied by the features of claim 1.

In accordance with the invention, the cleaning apparatus includes a carrier and at least one driven endless cleaning belt held at the carrier.

It has been found in a surprising manner that a suitably designed endless cleaning belt cannot only achieve an excellent cleaning effect, but that in addition the drive of the endless belt, which is active in the manner of a tracked vehicle such as a crawler or of a tank can be used especially at inclined surfaces to relieve the user during the cleaning procedure on the holding or moving of the cleaning apparatus. The “climbing capability” of the apparatus on the respective inclined surface can be set by a suitable design of the endless cleaning belt such that the respective effective downhill force is just compensated. The user then only has to provide the transverse movement of the apparatus. Since work is sensibly carried out from the top to the bottom when cleaning slanting surfaces, the endless cleaning belt can also be designed such that the downhill force is slightly predominant so that the user only has to exert a small force to hold the level of the apparatus on such a “line-wise” cleaning, with the slightly predominant downhill force simply having to be surrendered to for the cleaning of the next lower line.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims, in the description and in the drawing.

A fluid supply apparatus is preferably provided which can e.g. be connected to a separate high-pressure cleaner. At least a part of the fluid supply device can be integrated into the carrier. It is possible in this manner to apply the cleaning fluid, which is in particular water, either directly onto the surface to be cleaned at a point then to be processed by means of the endless cleaning belt or to apply it to the endless cleaning belt.

The possibility of using an anyway present separate high-pressure cleaner makes the cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention also particularly interesting for private households.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a holding device is present which is connected to the carrier, with the holding device and the carrier being pivotable with respect to one another. An advantage of this pivotability comprises the fact that the cleaning apparatus can be used without problem for different roof inclinations.

Furthermore, the holding device and the carrier can be mutually pivotable about two different axes. The two axes in particular extend perpendicular to one another. The pivotable design between the holding device and the carrier can take place, for example, in accordance with the principle known from domestic vacuum cleaners. A rotation of the holding device about its longitudinal axis accordingly results in a rotation of the cleaning apparatus about an axis extending substantially perpendicular or preferably only slightly inclined with respect to the surface to be cleaned and a sideward movement of the apparatus on the respective surface results overall due to the drive of the endless cleaning belt. The user thus so-to-say has a “self-propelling” cleaning apparatus which only requires a guidance or a change of direction with a small force.

Accordingly, the holding device can have a longitudinal axis, with a pivotability of the carrier relative to the holding device about the longitudinal axis of the holding device being suppressed.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, at least a part of the fluid supply device is integrated into the holding device. The holding device can in particular include a single-part or multipart holding tube which cannot only be used by the user to hold, and optionally to control, the cleaning apparatus during the cleaning procedure, but also moreover the supply of the cleaning fluid is in particular possible from a separate high-pressure cleaner. Viewed from the opposite aspect, provision can therefore be made that at least a part of a fluid supply device is integrated into a holding device of the cleaning apparatus.

The holding device and/or the fluid supply device can simultaneously be used to supply electric current to the cleaning apparatus, which is required, for example, when the carrier includes one or more electric motors for the drive of the endless cleaning belt. Alternatively or additionally to such a belt drive, the carrier can be provided with other electrical devices, for example with one or more fluid pumps.

It is generally of advantage if the inherent weight of the cleaning apparatus is as low as possible. It is thus proposed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention that the drive for the endless cleaning belt takes place by means of a supplied cleaning fluid. An additional electric motor for the belt drive can then be omitted. The conversion of a supplied pressurized fluid into a drive movement is generally known from the prior art. A sufficiently high driving power can even be supplied in the low-pressure range from, for example, up to 5 bar even for such a cleaning apparatus of the kind in accordance with the invention which should be used on inclined building surfaces. The cleaning fluid is in this respect supplied to one or more drive nozzles which direct a fluid jet onto a turbine-like or propeller-like drive unit to convert the fluid jet into a rotary movement in this manner. High rotational speeds of several thousand revolutions per minute can be achieved in this manner. A rotational speed suitable for the endless cleaning belt in accordance with the invention, for example, can be derived, for example, from this by means of a transmission arranged downstream. A pure fluid drive for the endless cleaning belt is possible, but not compulsory in accordance with the invention.

In a further embodiment of the invention, at least two endless cleaning belts held at the carrier are provided. Provision can be made in this respect that the two belts can be driven independently of one another. In accordance with the principle of a travel drive for tracked vehicles, a cleaning apparatus can be provided in this manner which is controllable as desired and which can also drive over surfaces which are not inclined or are only slightly inclined controlled or remotely controlled by the user in any desired manner.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment, the carrier is provided in a modular construction. The carrier is here preferably configurable in dependence on the kind and/or number of the carrier modules in different working lengths—considered with respect to the longitudinal extent of the endless cleaning belt.

The advantage hereby results that the cleaning apparatus can be matched to the measurements of the respective modules of solar installations or photovoltaic installations to be cleaned, in each case. The endless cleaning belt can either be present in different working lengths or can be composed from a plurality of individual belt sections connectable to one another in a suitable manner to form the respectively desired working length. The carrier required for the respective application can be put together from a pool of different modules for such a cleaning system, with this pool in particular including a deflection module and/or a clamping module for the belt, at least one drive module for the belt, at least one support module for the belt and/or at least one extension module.

A modular construction proposed in accordance with a further embodiment is particularly simple with respect to handling and construction according to which each module includes a tubular or sleeve-like base element which is designed to couple the modules to one another. The individual tubular pieces or sleeve purposes can, for example, be simply plugged together and/or latched to one another. The respective functional elements such as drive motor, a drive pinion, a deflection pinion or a support roller can be fixedly or replaceably connected in a suitable manner to an otherwise uniformly formed base element. A basic design of a cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention can hereby result which is reminiscent—in illustrative terms—of the physical structure of a stick insect.

In a further embodiment, the cleaning apparatus can be coupled to a guiding and holding device of a solar installation or of a photovoltaic installation or of a solar installation surface or of a photovoltaic installation surface.

This embodiment of the cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention in particular relates to a use of the cleaning apparatus in which a user no longer has to hold and guide it by hand. It is here rather a question of an automatic or self-propelling cleaning apparatus which is held and guided for this purpose at the installation or at the respective surface to be cleaned. If the cleaning apparatus is set into operation, which can take place at fixed times or as required, the cleaning apparatus then moves on its own along the surface to be cleaned—in a manner guided and held by the guiding and holding device at the installation or at the surface to be cleaned. Similar automatic systems are generally known in connection with cleaning brushes. A particular advantage of the apparatus in accordance with the invention having at least one driven endless cleaning belt comprises the fact that the endless cleaning belt provides a surprisingly effective transporting away of dirt. In this respect, “dirt” is also to be understood, for example, as snow from which the respective surface to be cleaned should be freed.

The cleaning apparatus can be provided with an electric motor whose power supply is ensured by solar cells. Alternatively, the solar installation or photovoltaic installation or the respective surface or the guiding and holding device can be provided with a power connection by which the cleaning apparatus is connected to the cleaning apparatus permanently via a suitable guided cable or to which the cleaning apparatus can “dock” as required, e.g. in a position or rest or a parked position. In an analog manner, a fluid connection can be provided by which it is, for example, possible to fill a fluid tank present on the cleaning apparatus as required.

The surfaces to be cleaned are in particular straight, elongated strips. A reversing of the cleaning apparatus at the ends of the strips can be ensured, for example, by a suitable sensor system. As soon as the end is reached, the cleaning apparatus is switched over to continue its movement in the opposite direction.

The invention moreover relates to a solar installation or photovoltaic installation having at least one surface, in particular inclined with respect to the horizontal, and having at least one guiding and holding device for a cleaning apparatus of the kind described here. The invention additionally relates to a system of at least one such solar installation or photovoltaic installation as well as at least one such cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus is preferably operable automatically and/or in a self-propelling manner.

It is furthermore preferred if the cleaning apparatus cooperates with the installation or with the surface to be cleaned such that the endless cleaning belt extends approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the surface to be cleaned, with, however, a specific slanted positions being present to achieve a movement component in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the surface to be cleaned in this manner. If the cleaning apparatus has more than one endless cleaning belt, such a movement component can alternatively or additionally take place by a direct drive of the endless cleaning belts, in particular by a speed difference between at least two endless cleaning belts.

The invention will be described in the following by way of example with reference to the drawing. There are shown:

FIG. 1 different views of an embodiment of a cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 a view of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 with some omitted components;

FIG. 3 an exploded view of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention with an automatically operable cleaning apparatus.

In the embodiment of a cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the carrier 11 omitted for reasons of illustration in FIG. 2 includes two wall elements 43 which are in particular manufactured from sheet metal and which are each angled, with the two mutually facing side parts of the wall elements 43 being connected to one another by bar-shaped connectors 39.

The upper parts of the wall elements 43 each form a cover for an endless cleaning belt 13 provided with bristles.

As in a tracked vehicle, the endless belts 13 each run over a drive pinion 31 as well as a freely rotatable deflection pinion 33, with support rollers 35 being provided therebetween. The holder of these pinions and rollers takes place by means of the perpendicular side walls of the carrier elements 43.

A common electric motor 27 which is likewise held at the carrier 11 is coupled to the drive pinions 31.

A cleaning fluid, in particular water, is supplied to the cleaning apparatus via a fluid supply device 15 which will be looked at in more detail in the following. Connections 45 of the fluid supply device 15, on the one hand, and fluid outlet bars 37 attached to the end side, on the other hand, are connected to one another by fluid lines, in particular tubular fluid lines, not shown. The cleaning fluid exits the fluid outlet bars 37 in the region of the endless cleaning belts 13. Alternatively, a fluid outlet can be provided over the total length of the fluid outlet bars 37. An output of the fluid directly onto a surface to be cleaned is likewise alternatively or additionally possible.

The fluid supply device 15 includes a joint unit 20 which is likewise held at the carrier 11 and which has a column 55 at which the fluid arrives via a connection piece 47 and which is flowed through by fluid. The cleaning apparatus can be connected via the connection piece 47 to a fluid supply line 41, e.g. in the form of a hose, which can in turn be connected to a conventional high-pressure cleaner 17 such as is shown schematically in FIG. 1.

The fluid moves into the joint unit 29 from the connection piece 47 via a line section 49 in particular formed as a hose. Alternatively or additionally, the fluid can also be guided via the section 51 which, in an extension of the connection piece 47, connects it in an articulated manner to the joint section 29. In this manner, the connection piece 47 is pivotable about a pivot axis 21 relative to the column 55 held at the carrier 11. The column 55 is in turn pivotable relative to the carrier 11 about an axis 23 which extends perpendicular to the axis 21.

The deflection pinions 33 are attached to a clamping carrier 53 which is adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the endless cleaning belts 13 at the carrier 11 and can be fixed at different positions at the carrier 11 to clamp the endless cleaning belts 13 in this manner. For this purpose, the wall elements 43 of the carrier 11 are each provided with a cut-out 57 open at one side.

In the embodiment shown, the endless cleaning belts 13 are provided exclusively with a cleaning bristle arrangement. This bristle arrangement is preferably designed such that the respective desired relationship between the drive power and the downhill force is given for one or more specific roof inclinations, as is discussed in the introduction part. Alternatively, the endless cleaning belts 13 can be provided, in addition to the bristles, with adhesion or drive elements which do not contribute to the cleaning of the surface, but serve to give the cleaning apparatus a respective desired hold on an inclined surface to be cleaned.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the cleaning apparatus can be provided with only one single endless cleaning belt. The different functional devices such as in particular the drive motor, the pinions, the rollers as well as the fluid supply are then to be arranged in a correspondingly modified manner.

The endless cleaning belts can additionally be provided with scraper or “skimmer” devices which serve to remove dirt adhering to the bristle arrangement and either to collect it or to move it off directly in a suitable manner. Cleaning fluid can hereby be saved in an advantageous manner which is otherwise possibly needed to rinse the dirt off or away.

Whereas the carrier in the above-explained embodiment substantially includes the two wall elements 43 produced from sheet metal, in an alternative embodiment, the carrier can be composed of a plurality of tubular or sleeve like base elements which can be releasably connected to one another in order in this manner to give the user the possibility of realizing cleaning apparatus in different lengths. A modular structure is hereby realized in a particularly simple and advantageous manner. The individual base elements can be designed or made in advance as functional elements so that they can be provided with the individual functional emanates such as in particular the drive motor, the pinions, the rollers and devices for the fluid supply. The cross-section of such modules can be circular, with this not being compulsory, however. Modules with a square or rectangular cross-section are likewise conceivable.

Such a cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention in modular construction can be adapted in accordance with an in particular defined pattern to usual field sizes of solar installations or photovoltaic installations in order in particular to allow an efficient “line-wise” cleaning.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a cleaning apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention which is held and guided at a surface 59 of a solar installation or photovoltaic installation to be cleaned. A guiding and holding device 67 is provided for this purpose. It can in this respect, for example, be a rail or bar guide into which the cleaning apparatus 10 is hung, for example. The cleaning surface 59 is arranged inclined to the horizontal, with the guiding and holding device 67 being arranged at the upper end of the surface 59 so that a hanging arrangement of the cleaning apparatus 10 utilizing gravity results.

As explained in the introduction part, it can be achieved by a corresponding design of the guiding and holding device 67 and/or by a drive concept with respect to the endless cleaning belts 13 that a movement component of the cleaning apparatus 10 results in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the surface 59, such as is indicated by the two arrows in FIG. 4, despite an approximately perpendicular arrangement of the endless cleaning belts 13 advantageous for an effective cleaning with respect to the longitudinal extent of the strip-shaped or line-shaped surface 59 to be cleaned.

A reversal of the cleaning apparatus 10 at the ends of the surface 59 can take place, for example, by contact switches or proximity switches. The extent or dimensions of the surface 59 to be cleaned can also be taught, with a central control device, not shown here, being able to provide a fully automatic operation of the cleaning apparatus 10 for cleaning the surface 59. The cleaning apparatus 10 can, however, also be remote-controlled by a user e.g. wirelessly.

As FIG. 4 shows, corresponding connections 61, 63 to which the cleaning apparatus 10 can be “docked” as required can be provided at an end of the surface 59 for the power and fluid supply of the cleaning apparatus 10. In such a parked position or supply position, a fluid taken 65 provided at the cleaning apparatus 10 can be filled e.g. with water. A storage battery, not shown, for the electric motor 27 of the cleaning apparatus 10 can be charged.

Alternatively, the power supply of the electric motor 27 can also take place by solar cells attached to the cleaning apparatus 10.

A supply of the cleaning apparatus 10 with power and/or fluid is also possible via the guiding and holding device 67 which can, for this purpose, e.g. have a power rail of any design for a current consumer of the cleaning apparatus 10.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

-   10 cleaning apparatus -   11 carrier -   13 endless cleaning belt -   15 fluid supply device -   17 high-pressure cleaner -   19 holding device -   21 pivot axis -   23 pivot axis -   25 longitudinal axis -   27 motor -   29 joint unit -   31 drive pinion -   33 deflection pinion -   35 support roller -   37 fluid outlet bar -   39 connector -   41 fluid supply line -   43 wall element -   45 connection -   47 connection piece -   49 line section -   51 section -   53 clamping carrier -   55 column -   57 cut-out -   solar installation or photovoltaic installation -   61 fluid connection -   63 power connection -   65 fluid tank -   67 guiding and holding device 

1. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces, in particular inclined surfaces, having a carrier (11) and at least one driven endless cleaning belt (13) held at the carrier (11).
 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a fluid supply device (15) is provided which is preferably connectable to a separate high-pressure cleaner (17).
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a holding device (19) connected to the carrier (11) is provided, with the holding device (19) and the carrier (11) being pivotable with respect to one another.
 4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the holding device (19) and the carrier (11) are mutually pivotable about two different axes (21, 23).
 5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the holding device (19) has a longitudinal axis (25) and a pivotability of the carrier (11) relative to the holding device (19) about the longitudinal axis (25) of the holding device (19) is suppressed.
 6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein at least a part of a fluid supply device (15) is integrated into the holding device (19).
 7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drive for the belt (13) takes place by means of a supplied cleaning fluid.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one integrated motor is provided for the drive of the belt (13).
 9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two endless cleaning belts (13) are provided which are held at the carrier (11).
 10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the carrier (11) is provided in modular construction and is preferably configurable in different working lengths in dependence on the kind and/or number of the carrier modules.
 11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the carrier (11) includes at least one drive module for the belt (13), at least one deflection and/or clamping module for the belt (13), at least one support module for the belt (13) and/or at least one extension module.
 12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each module includes a tubular or sleeve-like base element for coupling the modules to one another.
 13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein said apparatus can be coupled to a guiding and holding device (67) of a solar installation or photovoltaic installation or of a solar installation surface or photovoltaic installation surface (59).
 14. A solar installation or photovoltaic installation having at least one surface (59), in particular inclined with respect to the horizontal, and at least one guiding and holding device (67) for a cleaning apparatus (10) having a carrier (11) and at least one driven endless cleaning belt (13) held at the carrier (11).
 15. A system of at least one solar installation or photovoltaic installation having at least one surface (59), in particular inclined with respect to the horizontal, and at least one guiding and holding device (67) for a cleaning apparatus (10) and of at least one cleaning apparatus (10) having a carrier (11) and at least one driven endless cleaning belt (13) held at the carrier (11), wherein the cleaning apparatus (10) is preferably operable automatically and/or in a self-propelling manner.
 16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surfaces are solar installation surfaces or photovoltaic installation surfaces on roofs of buildings.
 17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said axes (21, 23) extend perpendicular to one another.
 18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said motor (27) is an electric motor.
 19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said cleaning belts (13) are drivable independently of one another. 